Device for inserting and removing fluorescent lighting tubes



Oct. 17, 1944. J. DlVER 2,360,657

DEVICE FOR INSERTING AND REE MOVING FLUORESCENT LIGHTING TUBES Filed Dec. 20, 1943 2 Sheet-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JAMES D.DIVER ATTO RN EY S J. D. DIVER Oct. 17, 1944.

DEVICE FOR INSERTING AND REMOVING FLUORESCENT LiGI-ITING TUBES Filed Dec. 20, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 v T 3 7. m I a s a m ww F z s F I f E D w 5 U M F- A J 7.

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ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 17, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR INSERTING AND REMOVING FLUORESCENT LIGHTING TUBES James D. Diver, Detroit, Mich.

., Application December 20, 1943, Serial No. 515,010

7 Claims. (Cl. 294-20) The invention relates to devices for inserting and removing lighting tubes and, more particularly, fluorescent lighting tubes.

The invention has for one of its objects to provide a simple construction of device for inserting and removing a lighting tube of that type requiring movement transverse to the axis of the tub and also rotative movement.

The invention has for another object to provide an improved device for inserting and removing a lighting tube which is ordinarily out of reach, the device having tube gripping jaws which are relatively movable with respect to each other and which are also angularly movable one with the other.

'The invention has for further objects to provide an improved device having actuating members for the jaws constructed and arranged to interchangeably receive an operating member; to provide an improved device having means for guiding the operating member to the actuating members; and to provide an improved device which is relatively small and light in weight. 7

With these as well as other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and [combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation, partly broken away and partly in section, of the device;

Figure 3 is a similar view of a portion thereof with other parts broken away and in section;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view;

Figures 5 and 6 are cross sections on the lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a detail view.

The device embodying the invention i designed for use with lighting tubes which require a bodily movement transverse to their axes for' engagement with sockets at their ends and also a rotary or angular movement substantially about their axes for engagement of the electrical contacts. More particularly, the device is designed for inserting and removing fluorescent lighting tubes.

The device comprises the gripping jaws l and 2, the carrier 3 and the actuating members 4 and 5 which are alternatively engageable with the operating member 6. The gripping jaws l and 2 are arcuate and each has the body 6 preferably formed of sheet metal and the lining 1 preferably formed of rubber. The body of the gripping jaw l is substantially semi-cylindrical, it having an arcuate extent of substantially 180. The body of the gripping jaw 2 has a relatively small arcuate extent, but it is sufiicient to enable the gripping jaw 2 to cooperate with the gripping jaw l to effectively grip a fluorescent lighting tube. The radius of curvature of each of the gripping jaws is substantially the same. The gripping jaws l and 2 are angularly movable with respect to the carrier 3, which latter is provided with the oppositely extending arcuate flanges 8 between the oifset portions 9 of the guide vstrips l0 and the body 6 of the gripping jaw I.

The actuating member 4 is operatively connected to the gripping jaws I and 2 to move the same relative to each other. More in detail, the actuating member 4 is a toothed member and, more specifically, a vertically extending screw extending through and threadedly engaging the nut H which is fixedly secured in the rectangular frame I2 having its ends fixedly secured to the flanges I 3 of the guide strips 10, it being noted that these flanges progressively increase in height downwardly around the gripping jaw until they extend horizontally. The upper end of the screw 4 is provided with the ball M for engaging the depending ears l5 of the body of the gripping jaw 2, the ears having their lower ends preferably turned in to secure the gripping jaw 2 to the actuating member. The lower end of the screw has secured thereto the pilot member I 6 which is tapered upwardly to the polygonal socket ll which extends axially upwardly from the lower end of the screw. To guide the gripping jaw 2 while it is being moved relatively to the gripping jaw I so that its major axis will'always be parallel to the major axis of the gripping jaw I, I have provided the links l8. These links are pivotally connected tothe ears l9 spaced longitudinally along the major axis of the gripping jaw 2 and converge to immediately opposite sides of the ear 20 on the body 6 of the gripping jaw I. The latter ear is formed with the inclined slot 2| which is slidably engaged by the pin 22 securing the ends of the links l8 together at opposite sides of the ear 20. i v

For the purpose of angularly moving the gripping jaws one with the other relative to the carrier 3, the actuating member 5 is a toothed member having the worm 23 and the integral depending shank 24. The teeth of theworm mesh with the arcuate series of teeth 25.0n the gripping jaw l, these latter teeth being formed by depressing the body 6 of the gripping jaw. The worm 23 is journaled in the frame 26 forming part of the carrier 3. r The lower end of the shank 24 has secured thereto the tapered'pilot Z'I'which tapers upwardly to the polygonal socket 28 formed in and extending axially upwardly from the lower end of the shank 24. The axis of the actuating member 5 is substantially parallel to that of the actuating member 4 prior to the angular movement of the gripping jaws to facilitate interchangeable engagement of the operating member or tool with the gripping jaws.

For the purpose of guiding the operating member 6 to the sockets l1 and 28, respectively, in the lower end portions of the actuating members 4 and 5, the plates 29 forming part of the carrier 3 are provided with downward extensions which are connected at their lower ends by the cross plate 30. The cross plate is provided with the elongated opening 3| having at its ends the reduced aligned portions 32 having a width slightly in excess of the diameter of the shank 33 of the operating member 6. The ends of the reduced portions are positioned so that when the shank 33 is in engagement with these ends the polygonal portion 34 of the operating member is in substantially axial alignment with the sockets. It will be noted that the middle portion of the opening 3| is of a size to provide for the passage therethrough of the washer 35 which is secured to the operating member at the upper end of the shank 33. The length of the operating member is sufficient to enable a person to insert and remove a fluorescent lighting tube elevated at a considerable distance above the floor on which the person is standing.

In operation, to insert a fluorescent lighting tube the gripping jaws I and 2 are spread apart by the actuating member 4 sufficiently to enable passing the gripping jaws over the tube, after which the actuating member 4 is turned to move the gripping jaw 2 toward the opposite portion of the gripping jaw I, during which time the links I8 prevent the gripping jaw 2 from turning and maintain its major axis in parallelism to that of the gripping jaw I. It is to be noted that the radius of curvature of the gripping jaws l and 2 is such and also that their relative movements are such that they are adapted to cooperate to grip tubes of various diameters. The actuating member 4 is preferably turned by the operating member 6. With the tube gripped between the gripping jaws and the operating member 6 in engagement with the actuating member 5, the device of the tube can be raised and moved bodily transversely of its axis to engage the sockets at the ends of the tube. Then by turning the operating member 6 in the proper direction the gripping jaws are moved angularly in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2 to properly position the tube in the sockets and also properly engage the electrical contacts. It is apparent that if it is desired to remove the tube the device can be raised and moved laterally over the tube, the operating member 6 at this time being in engagement with the actuating member 4. Then by turning the operating member the lower gripping jaw 2 can be moved upwardly to cooperate with the upper portion of the gripping jaw l1 to grip the tube, after which the operating member 6 can be moved into engagement with the actuating member 5 and then turned in the proper direction to angularly move the gripping jaws l and 2 in the desired direction, to disengage the electrical contacts and turn the tube so that it may be readily lowered from the sockets.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A device for inserting and removing fluorescent lighting tubes comprising a carrier, gripping jaws movable relative to each other and movable angularly one with the other relative to said carrier, and separate members rotatable about substantially parallel axes for moving said jaws relative to each other and also moving said jaws angularly relative to said carrier.

2. A device for inserting and removing fluorescent lighting tubes comprising a carrier, gripping jaws movable relative to each other and also movable angularly one with the other relative to said carrier, a toothed member operatively connected to said jaws and rotatable to move said jaws relative to each other, and a second toothed member extending substantially parallel to said first mentioned toothed member and operatively connected to said carrier and jaws for moving the latter angularly relative to the former.

3. A device for inserting and removing lighting tubes comprising gripping jaws movabl relative to each other to grip a tube and also movable angularly one with the other to rotate the tube, and means alternatively engageable with an operating member for moving said jaws relative to each other and for angularly moving said jaws one with the other.

4. A device for inserting and removing fluorescent lighting tubes comprising a carrier, gripping jaws movable relative to each other and also movable angularly one with the other relative to said carrier, separate members rotatable about substantially parallel axes for moving said jaws relative to each other and for also moving said jaws angularly relative to said carrier, and

means upon said carrier for guiding an operating tool into operative relation to said members.

5. A device for inserting and removing fluorescent lighting tubes comprising a carrier, a gripping jaw movable angularly relative to said carrier, cooperating means on said carrier and jaw for guiding said jaw during the angular movement, cooperating means on said carrier and jaw for angularly moving said jaw, a second gripping jaw, cooperating means on said jaws for moving said jaws relative to each other, and cooperating means on said jaws for substantially maintaining a predetermined relation of their major axes.

6. A device for inserting andremoving fluorescent lighting tubes comprising an arcuate gripping jaw having an arcuate series of teeth, a second gripping jaw movable relative to said first mentioned jaw, a carrier, a toothed member on said carrier engageablewith said teeth to move said first mentioned jaw angularly relative tosaid carrier, and cooperating means on said first mentioned jaw and carrier for guiding said first mentioned jaw relative to said carrier.

7. A device for inserting and removing fluorescent lighting tubes comprising a carrier, gripping jaws movable relative to each other and also movable angularly one with the other relative to said carrier, a nut on one of said jaws, a screw threadedly engaging said nut and operatively connected to the other of said jaws for moving said jaws relative to each other, link means operativelyconnected to said jaws for maintaining a predetermined relation of their major axes, and means comprising a worm on said carrier engageable with one of said jaws for angularly moving the same relative to said carrier.

JAMES D. DIVER. 

